GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) -- The return of Daryl Washington has made agood Arizona defense even better.

Just ask Cam Newton.

Washington had two of Arizona's seven sacks of Newton and one ofits three interceptions in the Cardinals' 22-6 victory over theCarolina Panthers on Sunday.

"He was the same old D-Wash," teammate Patrick Peterson said,"running sideline to sideline."

Washington was back after serving a four-game suspension forviolating the league's substance abuse policy.

"It feels good, especially with a win at home," he said. "Myteammates and this organization are so supportive of me that itmakes it easy for me to go out and do what I do."

There were plenty of other defensive playmakers for theCardinals, who fell behind 6-3 at halftime but dominated thesecond half.

Calais Campbell had two sacks, one for Arizona's firstregular-season safety in nine years, the other forcing agame-clinching fumble. Karlos Dansby also had two sacks and aninterception. Peterson also had an interception.

"That's the beauty of it," Campbell said. "When you have so manyguys that are as talented as we have, you've got to pick yourpoison. You can try to take one of us out of the game, somebodyelse is going to eat."

The day just got worse and worse for Newton, returning to thesite of his BCS championship performance for Auburn and hisimpressive NFL debut.

"I have to do a better job of protecting the football," he said."We had our opportunities in the red zone multiple times and wejust couldn't seem to get it together. We are not going to sobor get beside ourselves or go into a shell. We are going to keepfighting. That is what this team is full of."

Palmer threw a touchdown pass, but was intercepted three timesas Arizona's offense struggled again, as it did most of lastweek in a 13-10 win at Tampa Bay.

"You can call them ugly wins or any kind of wins you want," saidCardinals first-year coach Bruce Arians, who turned 61 onThursday. "As long as they're wins, I love them."

Jay Feely, who had a 42-yard field goal for Arizona's onlypoints of the first half, kicked a 50-yarder to make it 15-6with 3:38 to play.

Palmer connected with Jim Dray for a 7-yard score, the big tightend's first career touchdown, to make it 22-6 with 2:23remaining.

The Panthers had four dropped passes, two of them by thenormally reliable Steve Smith, and were penalized nine times for79 yards.

One of Smith's drops would have been a touchdown. Their runninggame, ranked third in the NFL coming in, managed just 95 yards,only 21 in the second half.

"We have to protect the quarterback better and we have to makebetter decisions as far as the quarterback, too," Carolina coachRon Rivera said. "There are a lot of things we have to correctand a lot of blame to go around for everybody."

Andre Ellington's 26-yard run set up the Cardinals' firsttouchdown. Rashard Mendenhall scored from the 1 to put Arizonaahead for the first time 10-6 with 5:48 left in the thirdquarter.

After the kickoff, a taunting penalty on Jordan Senn and anoffensive pass interference call on Smith pushed Carolina to its5-yard line. Newton faded into the end zone and was sacked byCampbell, and the Cardinals led 12-6 with 5:28 to go in thethird.

After the ensuing free kick, Arizona had it at the Carolina 48when Luke Kuechly intercepted Palmer and returned it 30 yards tothe Cardinals 29.

The Panthers moved to the 5, where on third-and-3, Washingtonpicked off Newton's pass and rambled 41 yards to midfield.

Newton was 14 for 21 for 215 yards in the first half, butcouldn't get the Panthers in the end zone.

Gano's 51-yard field goal as the half ended put Carolina up 6-3.

Peterson intercepted Newton's pass intended for Smith at theCardinals 1-yard line and scrambled 43 yards to the 44.

Completions to Larry Fitzgerald and Ellington moved Arizona tothe Panthers 23. But Palmer overthrew Fitzgerald over themiddle, and Mitchell intercepted it in the end zone with 34seconds left in the half.

That was plenty of time for the Panthers, who got a 20-yard runby fullback Mike Tolbert and a pair of completions by Newton.After a holding penalty negated Graham's 41-yard field goal, henailed the 51-yarder to put the Panthers up by three at thebreak.

Notes: The Panthers lost starting left guard Amini Silatolu witha knee injury in the third quarter. ... Washington had one othergame with a sack and interception, against Carolina in the 2011season opener.

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